1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus for packaging a fiber amplifier, and more particularly, to a fiber amplifier packaging apparatus by which it is possible to reduce overall volume without damaging optical parts containing an optical fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the fiber amplifier is an apparatus for amplifying light, the power of which is weakened during long distance transmission of information in optical communications, using an optical fiber as a transmission medium. An erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), which is a fiber amplifier widely used for realizing a high speed optical transmission system by removing delay time, directly amplifies light without a photoelectric conversion and an electrooptic conversion. The fiber amplifier is installed between optical fibers which are media for transferring light and are packaged by a packaging apparatus. The packaging apparatus is for protecting optical parts, which form the fiber amplifier, from external shock. The volume of a housing, which is a part of the packaging apparatus is determined according to the sizes and the generation of heat characteristics of the optical parts. Namely, in making the volume of the housing small, the bending loss of the optical fiber increases and the area of the optical fiber increases. Accordingly, heat emitted to the outside is reduced.
Also, excessive force may be inflicted on a connector cable connected to the fiber amplifier when the packaged fiber amplifier is installed or moved. Namely, since the optical fiber in the cable is directly spliced together with the optical parts of the fiber amplifier, the optical fiber can be easily cut by external pressure. Considering this point, in a conventional technology, the tensile strength is increased by processing a connection part using rubber molding. However, in this case, the rubber molding is hardened or damaged due to the changing temperature or long time use.
Also, an insert of the packaging apparatus fixes the optical parts such as an erbium doped fiber (EDF), a wavelength selective coupler (WSC), an optical isolator, and a coupler. In particular, a groove is formed in a part of the insert to fix the EDF to the indent in the conventional technology. When the EDF is fixed to the indent by the above-mentioned method, it is difficult to rearrange the EDF protruding over the insert and the EDF may hang outside of the insert due to sudden impacts or shaking.